site.btaChief of Defence: "We Focus on Optimizing Training Events, Exercises in Black Sea Region"

Chief of Defence: "We Focus on Optimizing Training Events, Exercises in Black Sea Region"

Sofia, February 22 (BTA) - "The discussion underway on NATO's tailored presence in the Black Sea region is entirely within the context of the decisions adopted in Warsaw," Bulgaria's acting Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Emil Eftimov, told a news conference here on Wednesday within the annual 2017 NATO Training Synchronisation Conference (TSC), organized by Allied Command Transformation and taking place in Sofia from February 22 to 24.

Eftimov was asked what had been agreed in Brussels at the latest NATO defence ministers' meeting regarding the Black Sea presence and whether that built on the decisions adopted at the Warsaw Summit in July 2015 or a new initiative was launched. The Vice Admiral answered that, in his capacity as Chief of Defence, he follows not only the debate at the NATO military bodies but at the North Atlantic Council as well. "At this point, we focus on optimizing the training events and exercises taking place in the Black Sea region, on a full, efficient and optimum use of the visits of NATO's standing naval maritime groups in the Black Sea, and on improving the situational awareness. We seek to make sure that our collective actions are regarded as entirely defensive, proportionate and carried out in complete transparency," the highest ranking officer of the Bulgarian Armed Forces said.

NATO is engaged in numerous activities in Europe and the world. These activities are exclusively intended to preserve peace, it is not about provocations but about crisis prevention. Exercises and training events are part of this broad range of activities, and this conference is discussing training synchronization so as to improve Allied capabilities to meet present challenges, said Air Marshal Sir Graham Stacey, Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, asked what exercises are planned for the Black Sea region and whether they would cause tensions on the part of Russia.